I found this on another site (steelers.com), and I am pretty sure it is accurate:

"Unlike yesterday, a win on Thursday won't completely clinch a playoff spot. Since this is a non-conference game, a win does not help much in the tiebreakers (unlike yesterday).

If the Steelers win vs StL, but lose at Baltimore, they will 10-6 with 7 conf wins.

If Cleve wins out and finish 11-5, they'll wiin the division. If TN wins out they will be 10-6 and also have 7 conf wins. They will tied w/ PGH at 2-3 on common opponents (Cin, Jax, Den, NYJ). The next tiebreak is strength of victory. Right now TN wins this one. Depending how the teams beaten by TN and PGH do the next two weeks, this can change, but chances are TN will win this.

On the other hand, going 10-6 by losing to StL and beating Balt, does clinch a spot, the 8th conference win being the decider vs Tn if need be."

So, winning Thursday does not clinch a thing, except that we have to win next Sunday. We should be voting to win on Thurs in the sense that it could help get us a home game, but oddly enough it does not significantly increase our playoff chances unless we win vs balty (so long as tenn and cleve win out, which is certainly possible).

Winning on Thursday does put increased pressure on Cleveland and Tennessee, though, because they can't afford to lose. A loss by either does clinch a playoff spot for the PS.

The "choke" preference is obvously to see the Browns tank at Cincy. The Steelers then get the AFCN and #3 or #4 seed home game and can basically take off a week and a half to get ready for the playoffs.

At this point, just win the friggin' TNF game and see what happens. If they can't take out the Rams and Ravens, they don't deserve a playoff spot anyway.

Ya the more I look at it, the more i think Steelers need to win out to make playoffs....I see them winning the division or out, I really feel that the Titans will win out (colts nothing to play for) and the browns could easily do so as well.

if i remember correctly, the colts were trying to go perfect and then lost and then sat out all their starters on the last game because they were a lock for the playoffs. i can't see them diverting from that strategy this year, especially considering they're not the team to beat anymore.

if we don't beat baltimore, we are fucked and don't deserve a playoff spot. they just got beat by miami for christsakes

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"If you make every game a life and death proposition, you're going to have problems. For one thing, you'll be dead a lot."

don't get me wrong, i love Tomlin (look at my avatar). I believe he is the future and a badass to boot. my good friend who unfortunately is a diehard cinci fan is scared that he will pad up and catch some touchdowns because we're missing a good number 3. he says it every week, it's funny.

i know we beat miami by 3 but it was also on a shit field. we were goddamded guaranteed a playoff spot and now....i'm nervous. baltimore is always tough especially on the road and tennessee, even though we're not playing them directly, always has had our fucking number since they came into the league. i hate that sunglass wearing bitch Jeff Fischer as much as Jack Del Rio but not as much as Jerry Jones. and of course, Belechek tops the hate list with his butt boy Brady....

aaaaarrrrrrggghhhhhh

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"If you make every game a life and death proposition, you're going to have problems. For one thing, you'll be dead a lot."